Archive for September, 2009
Travel Tips To European Countries: Belgium
About the Country
Belgium is situated in the west of Europe. The land here mostly comprises of flat coastal plains in the northeast and southeast is occupied by the Ardennes Forest. Dutch Flemish French and German are the official languages of Belgium with Dutch being the widely spoken followed by French. The weather here is pretty predictable. Months from April to September are the warmest. Otherwise the weather is pretty humid and skies are gray that explains why umbrellas and raincoats are a part of the dressing. So if the visit is planned for holidays during the rainy season one must not forget to carry sufficient cover for maximum protection as this is a coastal region. In case of emergency call 100 or 112.
Culture
Belgians are Englishfriendly and will make every attempt to speak in English with a foreigner. Always remember to carry a small gift or at least flowers especially when invited over dinner. The dress to wear will be mentioned in the invitation when invited for a party. Smoking in public is acceptable.
Shopping
Brussels Antwerp Bruges Ostend Namur Mons Lige Ghent and Mechelen are the main shopping centers. Belgium is famous for ceramics and handbeaten copperware from Dinant laces from Bruges crystals from Val Saint Lambert woodcarvings from Spa and Belgiums finest chocolates. In jewelry diamonds from Antwerp are on high demand.
Eating Out
The specialty of most of the restaurants is horse and rabbit meat dishes. Although visitors can find a wide range of ethnic foods but the most famous are frites and mayonnaise and mitraillette; mitraillette is a large bun filled with fries donair meat and garlic sauce the vegetarians can ask for a veg. substitute for the donair meat. While eating at a restaurant tipping is considered customary along with the valueadded tax. At the cinemas leave a 0.50 tip for the attendant and 0.25 after using the public toilets.
Electricity
Voltage is 230 V and frequency is 50 Hz.
Travel
Delta Air Transport has inaugurated its new European airline SN Brussels Airlines recently. It flies to more than 58 destinations in Europe and as well as worldwide. The Brussels Zayentem airport is twelve km from the city and it takes 35 minutes to reach the city from the airport. The airport has facilities like duty free shops car parking taxi booking car hiring banks post office restaurants and medical help. Internet and fax services are provided for the passengers. The Airport City Express train transports passengers to three main railway stations Brussels North Central and South. One can avail a bus which runs regularly from the airport taxis can also be hired which wait outside the arrival hall. Tipping the taxi drivers is considered customary. Train runs every 15 minutes.
Another airport Brussels South Charleroi is 5 km away from Charleroi and 46 km from Brussels. Ryan air serves as the local airline here and has cheap deals for several European destinations to and from Charleroi. The facilities provided here are bus and train services caf car hire and duty free shops.
Ostend airport is 5 km away from the city and car parking car hire duty free shops and restaurants are provided here.
Antwerp airport is just 2 km away from the city. Buses run to the Brussels Central Station every few minutes.
Liege is situated at a distance of 5 km away from the city. Buses run at regular interval here.
The departure tax at Brussels Zayentem is 20.93 Brussels South Charleroi is 3.49 Ostend and Antwerp is 10 and at Liege is 7.
There is a network of highspeed trains which are operated by Thalys from Belgium to France connecting Brussels with other destinations like Bordeaux Chambry Cannes Marseille Lyon Nice Valence Perpignan and Rennes. Booking should be made in advance for these trains. The national railway operates through out the day providing service every few minutes to destinations such as Andorra Austria France Czech Germany Italy Poland Luxembourg Switzerland the UK and the Netherlands. Insiders can avail the InterRail pass which allows visitors to travel almost 29 European Countries. This service is valid for residents who have been settled there for more than 6 months.
Duty Free Items
Visitors can carry alcohol tobacco cigarettes coffee and tea without getting customs duty levied on them but only the goods should be limited. Check out for the limits before carrying such goods. Food items that are not preserved are better avoided.
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Tourist Spots To Visit In Redondo Beach
Most people do not get the chance to take as many vacations as they would like to. Whether it is work that has been preventing you from taking a trip or a house full of children that need tending to when you finally find time to get away you should think about visiting Redondo Beach.
There are many tourist spots to go to in Redondo Beach and few people can resist the lure of a warm sandy beach full of beautiful people. If you wish you could spend your entire trip lounging on the beach with a good book and a tasty drink just working on your tan. You could also take your trip to the ocean and rent a boat for a day or two to get away from the beach goers. It completely depends on what your tastes are and no matter what they are Redondo Beach is likely to meet them.
If you are thinking about taking a trip to Redondo Beach but are not sure how to go about planning your trip you might want to consider hiring a travel agent to help you with the planning process. Travel agents specialize in this type of thing and can help make sure that you visit all of the tourist sport to go to in Redondo Beach and do not miss out on a thing. Travel agents charge a fee for their services in planning your trip but it will likely be worth it especially when you come home with a beautiful bronze tan and plenty of fond memories.
It can sometimes be hard to get away for a vacation but it is also sometimes necessary to get away just to keep your sanity. If you are planning a trip you might want to consider going to Redondo Beach. This beautiful destination is packed with things to do and is just the type of vacation get away that many people dream of. When you return home you will probably need a few more days off of work just to recover from the amazing time that you had. You will also have to deal with the jealous stares of coworkers commenting on your beautiful tan.
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Top Vacation Spots In The Caribbean
Any of the Caribbean islands will offer you a vacation to remember. What makes the best vacation for one tourist may not be acceptable at all for another so the best vacation spots in Caribbean is really a matter of taste and style. Many vacationers choose the Caribbean mainly for the sun and sand and all of the islands will provide you with this. When you are more specific in your reasons for a vacation in this part of the world then you can get more specific in the best vacation spots offering the opportunities you want.
If beaches are the main focus of your vacation then you just have to choose Anguilla. Shoal Bay Beach is a stretch of silver sand where you can soak up the rays of the sun and engage in numerous activities such as snorkelling with the wide array of colourful fish just below the surface of the water. Hike to Katouche Beach which is the perfect location for a picnic in the shade of the large trees. Antigua is famous for its numerous beaches. It has been said that there is a beach here for every day of the year. The hotels and resorts are built right on the beaches which makes it very convenient. Aruba is also another island wellknown for its beaches and has been named one of the 12 best beaches in the world.
For the best snorkelling locations you dont have to go any further than Antigua. Most of the beaches on this island have clear calm waters populated by numerous brightly colored marine life. Enjoy the sight of sea anemones and different elk and brain coral. Bonaire Marine Park on the island of Bonaire is another perfect location to choose. Here you can wade off the beach right next to your hotel to take in the sights of the underwater world.
Bonaire is also touted as the best diving destination in the Caribbean. There are many reefs surrounding the island that have not felt the effects of pollution because of the environmental laws of Bonaire. There are mountains under the water cause by volcanic eruptions and there are fringe reefs off just about every beach. The Virgin Islands is also another location for superb diving experiences. The wreck of the HMS Rhone which sank off Salt Island is one of the most popular with divers. Another world class diving location in the Caribbean is Grand Cayman Island where you have a full range of professional diving services at your disposal.
Just about every hotel and resort in the Caribbean provides small sailboats for the guests. However if sailing is the reason for your vacation the best spot to choose is the Grenadines. This is because sailing is a way of life on these islands many of which are not accessible by air. The Virgin Islands are also excellent choices and is the destination of many yachters.
Golfers travel to the Caribbean to take in the best courses. The Tierra del Sol Golf Course on Aruba has been named the best golf course but there are award winning courses in the Dominican Republic Guadeloupe and Jamaica as well.
When you plan your vacation to the Caribbean decide what you want in a vacation and then find the island that best meets that need.
About the writer: For more information on vacation spots in the Caribbean Costa Rican tourist attractions romantic island getaways and related topics visit http://www.TropicalIslandVacation.net